Combined wagon and baby-walker.



No. 7l3,43|. Patented Nov. Il, |902.

, J. B. HARSTONE.

COMBINED WAGON AND BABY WALKER.

App11catxon filed Jan. 30, 19 2 (No Medel!) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

nl" IIIIIII u Il" ifm Alf/army msm Nc-ronmm No. 7|3.43l. Patented Nov.II, |902.

J. B. HABSTONE. COMBINED WAGON AND BABY WALKER.

(Applicaton tiled Jan. 30, 1902.)

3 'Sheets-Sheet .2.

(No Model.)

R a H Jy E ma Norms mins co. PHorcxLrrHn warum-non, r:4 c,

nu. 713,431. Patented Nov. n, |902.

J. B. H'ARSTUNE.

CUMBINED WAGON AND BABY WALKER.

(Application md Jan. so, 1902.) Y (No Mouel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet `3.

ma anale neus ro. Haro-LINO., wAsHnmTon, n. c.

lli-viren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BRUNTONllARSTONE, OF WINNIPEG, CANADA.

CONlBlNED WAGON AND BABY-WALKER.

SPECLFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,431, dated November11, 1902. Application filed January 30, 1902. Serial No. 91,891. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BRUNToN HAR- STONE, a subject of the King ofEngland, residing at Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba and Dominionof Canada, have invented new and useful improvements in a Combined Wagonand Baby-*Walken of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to a combined Wagon and baby-walker; and oneobject of the same is to assemble in a single device means Whereby ababy-walker can be readily converted into a wagon or the latter quicklyarranged as a baby-walker, each converted device being unaffected in theperformance of its individual function by the parts contributing to theproduction of the two devices and which remain present in partcontinuously in the one main structure.

A further object of the invention is to produce a baby-walker which willenable a child to propel or move himself in erect position over thefloor or other surface without injury to or malformation of the limbsand which will also prevent the unhealthful absorptionv of injurioussubstances or materials usually affecting crawling children present inor on floors or coverings for the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined device whichcan be safely utilized in muscular-ly developing the body, limbs, andarms of a young child and be conducive to healthful sleep and alsocapable of being readily arranged for amusing an older child or as ameans of conveyance for children generally.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved devicearranged as a baby-Walker. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the devicearranged as awagon. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section of theimproved device with all the parts assembled in one structure. Fig. 4 isa rear end elevation of the device; and Fig. 5 is a detail sideelevation of a portion of the body of the device and the front axle,showing one of the lool;- ing drop-bars.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a body which may be of any material ordimension, but preferably of a light structure and comprising oppositesides and ends and open at the top and bottom. The body lis secured tothe front and rear axles, (respectively designated by the numerals 2 and3,) the front axle being held by a king or other similar bolt 4 againsta bolster-block 5, secured in the lower front portion of the body. Thesaid front axle 2 is thus made to turn in guiding the body when theimproved device is arranged as a wagon and has forwardly-proj ectingeyes 6 for engagement with clip-bars 7, secured -to the rear end of atongue 8, said clip-bars being freely removable from the eyes. The rearaxle 3 is in the form of a drop-axle for convenience in application, andto strengthen l the same, as Well as the body 1, at the point Where saidaxle is applied a iilling-,bar 9 is intei-posed between the lower edgeof the rear end of the body, against which the axle 3 has bearing, andthe said axle and bar are surrounded by metal strips 10, Which havetheir opposite extremities secured to the rear end and lower edges ofthe body adjacent to the axle 3. YIt is also proposed to form the axles2 and 3 of light, strong, and durable material and in accord ance withthe most approved pattern, and on the axles wheels 11 will bevmounted'and preferably of alight wire structu re similar to those usedou bicycles and light wagons for children, and in some instances thewheels may be supplied with rubber or other cushioning tires, which isan obvious expedient. Itis also obvious that the successful operation ofthe improved device is not dependent on any particular form of wheel oraxle, and it is proposed to adopt devices of this class best adapted toserve the purnose.

A short distance above the lower open bottom portion of thebody'ledge-strips 12 arev secured to the sides and rear end ofthepbody,y on the interior of the latter, the upper edges of the ledgesor ledge-strips being in a horizontal plane coincident with that of theup.- per edge of the bolster-block 5, so that the said block may alsoserve as a portion of the general ledge-support. To prevent injury toIOO the limbs of a child when the improved device is used as ababy-walker, the inner sides of the ledge-strips are beveled to removeinjurious or rough corners and also avoid any tendency to an obstructionor retardation of the free bodily movement of the child when disposed inthe body 1. The ledges or ledgestrips and the upper edge of thebolster-block 5 form a support for a removable bottom 13, which is usedwhen the improved device is arranged as a wagon.

Rising above the upper edges of the sides and front end of the body 1are combined retainers and guard-supporters 14, having vertical Shankssecurely fastened to the sides and front end and upperinwardly-extending angular extremities located above the edges of thesides and end and having vertical members terminating in eyes 15. Theeyes 15 have a guard rod or wire 16 secured therein and will aiford aconvenient gripping means for the child, particularly when the device isarranged as a baby-walker, and will also provide a surrounding rail forthe device when prepared for use as a wagon. The portions of thecombined retainers and supports 14 that rise above the upper edges ofthe sides and front end of the body serve as guides for a top board 17,having acentral circular opening 18, padded or otherwise cushioned topreventinjury to the child, the said opening confining the child in thecenter of the body 1, and the distance of the board 17 from thefloor-surface will be such that the upper side of the board will be on alevel with that portion of the body of a child intermediate of theshoulders and waist. By this means the back of a child will be amplysupported, and the arms will naturally be employed to grasp the guardwire or rod 16 or to hold on to the board 17, as may be the dispositionof the child. The board 17 is applicableto the body 1, and removablefrom the latter by sliding it under and outward from theinwardly-extending angular portions of the retainers, and to hold thesaid board 17 in applied position dropbars 1S*PL movably depend from therearportion of the guard wire or rod 16 and havelongitudinally-extending slots 19 in their lower extremities forremovable engagement with turn-buttons 20, secured to the rear end ofthe body 1. These drop-bars 18a can be readily released and raised onthe guard or wire 16 to permit the top board 17 to be slid or movedrearwardly off the top of the body 1 to clear the same in arranging theimproved device as a wagon. It will also be understood that when thedevice is prepared for use as a baby-walker it will be necessary to holdthe front axle stationary in order that the child may regularly move thedevice without inconvenience due to sudden change of direction, whichmight ensue if the said front axle was free to turn on the king-bolt orfulcrum for the same. To hold the said front axle 2 against movement,drop-bars or retention-arms 21 are pivotally secured to the lower frontportions of the sides of the body 1 and have downwardlycurved frontextremities with front terminal bifurcations 22 to take over theopposite portions of the axles, and thereby hold the latter againstmovement.

When arranging the device for use as a baby-walker, the bottom 13 isremoved and the top board 17 is secured in place on the upper portion ofthe body. The drop bars or arms 21 are turned down and caused to engagethe front axle 2, and when the parts are so disposed the child is placedin the device through the opening 18 in the top board. WVhen it isdesired to arrange the improved device as a wagon, the top board 17 isremoved and the bottom board 13 is replaced in the body and rests on theledges 12 and the upper edge of the bolster-block 5, the drop-'bars 1Sabeing subsequently secured against the rear end of the body 1 by theturn-buttons 20. The tongue Sis then connected to the front axle bymeans heretofore explained, and the improved device can then be used asa wagon of that class commonly known as a toy express-wagon.

In addition to the advantages which have been enumerated a means isprovided for healthfully amusing a young child and teaching it to walkwithout liability of injury to any part of the body, and in View of thesafe nature of the device close attention of an attendant or nurse isunnecessary. The entire structure is economical by reason of thecombination in one `device of means for converting it into either one oftwo distinct devices with considerably less expense than would berequired in purchasing the ordinary separate devices combined in thepresent improved device.

Though the preferred form of my improved device has been shown anddescribed, it isA obvious that changes in the dimensions, size, andminor details may be made without departing from the principle of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In adevice of the class set forth, the combination of a body having frontand rear axles, the front axle being movable, means for holding thefront axle against movement, a removable top board with an openingtherethrough, means for holding the said top board in place on the body,and a removable bottom board.

2. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a body havingfront and rear axles, the front axle being movable, means for holdingthe front axle against movement, a removable top board having an openingtherethrough,a surrounding guard-rod above the plane of the top board,and means for holding the top board in place on the body.

3. In a device of the claSs set forth, the combination of a body adaptedto be propelled, retainers secured to the body and having angularportions located above the upper edge of the latter, a guard devicesurround- IIO the upper portion of the body, and means movably dependingfrom the rear portion of the guard device and detachably connected 15 tothe rear end of the body to prevent the top board from slipping out ofplace.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN BRUNTON HARS'IONE.

Witnesses:

RICHARD F. DAvY, ARCHD. MCGILLIORAY.

